Game apparatus



D@ w E935 o. K. FISCHER 2,023,676

GAME APPARATUS Y Filed Jan. 25, 1955 2 sheets-sheet 1 52 INVENTOR.

05cm" ff. E56/Lef 7 M706 i 47 Y l? m M5 ATTORNEY5.

Dem M), 935.. V O. K F|5CHER 2,023,676

GAME APFARATUS Filed Jan. 25, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. soa/ KEscher BY//mfj my (DM /f/s ATTORNEY5.

.Ill

Patented Dec. l0, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GAME APPARATUSApplication January 25, 1935, Serial No. 3,377

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a game apparatus.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved game apparatuswhich is relatively simple and inexpensive in construction and efficientin use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a game apparatus of theso-called pin and marble game or bagatelle type in which there isprovided an inclined playing field or ball raceway and means forautomatically and simultaneously propelling a plurality or group ofballs down said raceway toward the lower end thereof and against pins orother obstructions arranged thereon whereby the balls are caused to racedown the raceway and against the pins arranged thereon.

A further object of the present invention is to provide in a gameapparatus, the combination of a game apparatus comprising a cabinet,including an inclined playing board having ball exit openings therein;means for propelling balls one at a time onto the upper portion of saidplaying board so that they may gravitate thereover and enter into saidexit openings; runways below said playing board and each havingcommunication with a predetermined number of said exit openings; aninclined ball raceway below said playing board and having communicationat its upper end with the lower ends of said runways; a barrier movablymounted in said cabinet between the upper end of said raceway and thelower ends of said runways and adapted to stop balls traveling down thelatter toward said raceway; and means including an electromagneticdevice actuated by balls entering said runways and coacting with saidbarrier to propel balls out of said runways down the saidraceway.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of partsto be hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawings, showing the preferred form oi construction and in which:

Fig. l is a top plan View of a preferred form of the new game apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same on line 2--2 in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional detail View on line 3--3 inFig. l;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary bottom plan View on line 4-6 vin Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a perspective detail view, partly in section .showing part ofthe resetting device for a ball-releasing trap door which is embodied inthe presentA apparatus A preferred form of the new game apparatus 1 l isshown in the drawings, is therein generally indicated at IB, andcomprises a cabinet II which includes an inclined playing board I2having ball exit openings I3 formed therein.

Arranged at one side of the playing board I2 'is 15r a ramp or runway I4and arranged at the lower end of the ramp I4 is a ball propelling deviceor plunger I5 by means of which balls may be propelled one at a time upthe ramp I4 onto the upper portion of the inclined playing board I2 so20 that they may enter into the ball exit openings I3.

Pivotally mounted upon the playing board I2 in each ball exit openingI3, as at I6, is a trap door II. Each of these trap doors or closuremembers I l includes an arm I3 which projects into the cor- 25responding exit opening I3 when the trap door is in open position, as inposition A, Fig. 3, and each of these trap doors il includes a closureplate i9 which is disposed in position to close the corresponding exitopening I3 when in closed po- 30 sition, as in position B, Fig. 3.

Arranged in the cabinet II below the inclined playing board I2 is aninclined floor 20 and provided upon the upper portion of this inclinedfloor 2E! are a plurality of parallel ball runways ZI each 35 havingcommunication with a preselected number of the ball eXit openings I3.

The major portion of the upper surface of the inclined floor 2t providesa ball raceway 22 which is disposed below the inclined floor I2 but isvisi- 40 ble from above the same by reason of the fact that the inclinedboard I2 is provided with a cutout portion 23 which is coincidental withthe area of the raceway 22.

Provided upon the raceway 22 are a plurality 45 of pins 24 and arrangedat the lower end of each runway ZI is a circuit-closing device in theform of an 'electrical contact 25, each of these contacts 25 providing aseat for a ball 25; spaced parallel rails 2l being provided on theinclined iioor 50 2G at the mouths or lower ends of the runways 2l toseparate or isolate the balls when the same are disposed upon the ballseats or contacts 25.

Extending transversely across the lower ends or mouths Vof the runways2l is a ball-stopping 55 member or barrier 28 which is pivotally mountedat its ends, as at 29, in suitable supports 39 which, in turn, aremounted upon the inclined floor 20 as shown in Fig. 6.

The barrier or ball-stopping member 28 includes spaced parallel rails 3iand 32, and this barrier 28 is normally urged by a spring 33 intoposition, as shown in Fig. 6, to Vdispose the rail 32 in engagement withthe upper surfaces of the side rails 21 of the runways 2I while at thesame time positioning the rail 3i sufficiently high above the uppersurface of the inclined floor 29 so that balls traveling down therunways 2| .may pass under the rail 3| and engage against the rail 32 ofthe barrier 28 and be held thereby upon the contacts or circuit-closingdevices 25.

Eachof the circuit-'closing devicesY or movable contacts 25 isengageable, as shown in Fig. 3, with a relatively stationary contact 34,and these circuit-closing devices 25--34 are arranged in an electriccircuit 35, shown in Fig. 8. This circuit 35 includesl anelectromagnetic device 39V and a suitable source of electric current,such as a battery of dry cellsk 31, which maybe arranged at convenientpoints in the cabinet I I.

Carried by the ball-stopping member or barrier 28 is an arm 38 (Fig. 6),and engageable with this arm 38 is the plunger or armature 39 of theeletromagnetic device 36.

Balls may be propelled one at a time, by the plunger I5, up the runwayor ramp I4 onto the upper portion of the inclined playing board I2 sothat they may enter into the ball exit openings I3, and upon passingthrough the latter pivot the trap doors I1 into closed position, as inpositionY B, Fig. 3, whereupon the balls drop down into their respectiverunways 2I and are guided by the latter tothe lower end portions of therunways 2| where they pass under the rail 3l of the barrier 28 andengage Vagainst the rail 32 of the said barrier 28 by which they arethus stopped and held in position upon the ball seats or contacts 25.

The ball seats or contacts 25 are arrangedin a series circuit as shownin Fig. 8, so that in order to close this circuit it is necessary that aball 26 be disposed in each of the runways 2I and upon each of theseveral ball seats or circuit-closing contacts 25. Y

When the foregoing condition is brought about bythe player, that is,when there is a ball disposed upon each of the ball seats or contacts25,

which may be effected through the exercise of skill in directing theballs into the exit openings I3, then the electric circuit 35 is closed;whereupon the arm 39 of the solenoid'ib` is projected into engagementwith the arm 38 of the ball stop or barrier 28, thereby pivoting thebarrier 28 in a counterclockwise direction, as seen in Fig. 6, or in aclockwise direction as seen in Fig-.78. This movement ofthe barrierY2li-causes the rail 3| thereof to'engage the balls 25 which aredisposed on the contacts or ball seats 25, and at the same time raisesthe rail 32 of the barrier 23'up above the side rails 21. of the runways2 i, thereby propelling the balls 26 out of the runways Yiii-and off thecontacts orY circuit-closing members or ball seats 25- and down over theinclined raceway 22, whereuponlthe balls may engage with the pin 24 andbe deflected thereby from point toipoint as they travel down theraceway. The group of balls V26 in this Way are caused to race down theraceway 22and the players interest is maintained in watching the'relative Vor competitive movement of the balls26 down theraceway 22tothe lower end thereof, whereupon the balls are directed by the angledside walls 48 of the raceway 22 into a relatively restricted runway 4Iwhich is provided with a plurality of ball exit openings 42. These ballexit openings 42 are formed in the inclined playing board 29 andarranged below the exit openings 42, but normally disposed out ofregistration with the same, and a plurality of ball exit openings 43which are formed in a panel or gate 44 which is slidably mounted in thecabinet l I below the inclined oor 2 I.

The ball releasing member or slide panel 44 carries a depending bracket45 and the inner end of the coin slide 46 is engageable with the bracket45 so as to move the slide panel 44 and dispose the exit openings 43therein in registration with the exit openings 42 at the start of eachgame, whereupon the balls disposed in the ball seats or exit openings 42are discharged through the latter and the exit openings 43 onto theinclined runway 41 by which the balls are conducted to a transverserunway 48 and are, inl turn, guided by the latter into an elevatingdevice (not shown) by which they may be elevated one at a time up intothe ramp I4 in front of the propelling device or plunger I5.

The circuit closing devices or contacts 25 are mounted upon a supportingbase or gate 49 which is pivotally mounted at its ends, as at 59, (Fig.5) in a cut-out opening 53 which is provided in the inclined iioor 29.Attached to and depending from the pivotal support or gate 49 is an arm5I which is normally urged by a spring 52, into full line position, Fig.3, so as to dispose the gate or support 49 in raised position in thecut-out opening 53`in the inclined floor 29 in which this gate orsupport 49 is pivotally mounted.

Attached to the slidable member 44 is an arm 54 which is adapted toengage with the depending arm 5I when the member 44 is shifted (left toright, Fig. 3) by action of the coin slide 46, thereby pivoting thecontact support or gate 49 into lowered or dotted line position, as inFig. 3, so as to discharge from the support or gate 49 onto the inclinedrunway 41 any balls which may be disposed upon the ball seats 25 at thestart of the playing operation. When the coin slide is released theslidable member 44 is returned to its initial position v(right to left,Fig. 3) by means of r an arm 51 which is attached to and depends froma'slide plate-55 which is slidably mounted upon Yand below the inclinedplaying board I2 (Fig. 3);

this arm 51 being engageable with a lateral eX- tension 58 of theslidable member 44, and as the Y engagement ofthe arm 51 with theextension 58 returns the slidable member 44 to its initial position(right to left, Fig. 3) the spring 52 acts upon the arm 5I to pivot thegate 49 into closed positierrasY in full lines, Fig. 3, the gate 49being `,stopped in raised position by means of a .stop 69 Yso that itsupper surface is substantially flush with the surface of the inclinedoor 20.

The slide plate 55 is provided with tongues Y5 9 which are adapted toengage the arms I8 ofthe trap Vdoors i1 when the latter are in closedposition, and the slide plate 55 is shifted (leit to right,

Fig. 3) by engagement of the lateral extension 58 of theslidable member44 with the depending arm 51 of the sli-de plate 55, so as to pivot thetrap doors I1 into open or upright position, as

in position AV inFig. 3. i

No claim is made in the present application to any invention in the trapdoors I1 or slide plate 55 by which the same are reset into closedposition since these parts are not the invention of the presentapplicant.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form ofconstruction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable ofvariation and modication, without departing from the spirit of theinvention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precisedetails of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of suchvariations and modifications as come within the scope of the appendedclaims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire toprotect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a game apparatus, the combination of: a cabinet including a memberproviding a ballplaying surface; a plurality of ball runways havingcommunication with said ball playing surface; a member movably mountedin the said cabinet including a ball-propelling portion and including aball-stopping or barrier portion normally disposed in the path of ballstraveling along said runways toward said playing surface; and meansactuate-d by balls held in the said ball runways by the said barrierportion of said secondnamed member for moving the said barrier portionof the latter out of engagement with the balls held thereby in saidrunways while atthe same time moving the said ball-propelling por.

tion of said .second-named member into engagement with the said balls soas to propel the latter out of said runways onto the sai-d playingsurface.

2. In a game apparatus, the combination of acabinet including a memberproviding a ballplaying surface; a plurality of ball runways havingcommunication with said ball playing surface; a member movably mountedin the said cabinet including a ball-propelling portion and including aball-stopping or barrier portion normally disposed in the path of ballstraveling along said runways toward said playing surface; and meansincluding an electromagnetic device actuated by balls held in the saidball runways by the said barrier portion of said second-named member formoving the said barrier portion of the latter out of engagement with theballs held thereby in said runways while at the same time moving thesaid ball-propelling portion of said second-named member into engagementwith the said balls so as to propel the latter out of said runways ontothe said playing surface.

3. In a game apparatus, the combination of a cabinet including a memberproviding a ballplaying surface having an opening formed therein; amember pivotally mounted in said opening; a plurality of ball runwaysarranged upon said playing surface and each having a portion eX- tendingover said pivotally mounted member; a member pivotally mounted in thesaid cabinet including a ball-propelling portion and including a barrieror ball-stopping portion normally disposed in the path of ballstraveling along said runways; means normally urging the saidsecond-named member into raised position against the attraction ofgravity; means actuated by balls disposed upon said second-named memberfor moving the said third-named member in a direction to move the saidbarrier or ball-stopping portion thereof` out of engagement with theballs held thereby in the said runways while at the same time moving thesaid ball-propelling portion of the same into engagement with the saidballs so as topropel the latter out of said runways; and means formoving the said second-named member into lowered position against theaction of said urging means so as to discharge balls held thereby insaid runways to a point below said playing surface.

4. In a game apparatus, the combination of: a cabinet including a memberproviding a ballplaying surface having an opening formed therein; amember pivotally mounted in said opening; I

a plurality of ball runways arranged upon said playing surface and eachhaving a portion extending over said pivotally mounted member; a memberpivotally mounted in the sai-d cabinet including a ball-propellingportion and including a barrier or ball-stopping portion normallydisposed in the path of balls traveling along said runways; meansnormally urging the said second-named member into raised positionagainst the attraction of gravity; means including an electromagneticdevice actuated by balls disposed upon said second-named member formoving the said thirdnamed member in a direction to move the saidbarrier or ball-stopping portion thereof out of engagement with the saidballs held thereby in the said runways while at the same time moving thesaid ball-propelling portion thereof into engagement with the said ballsso as to propel the same out of said runways; and means for moving thesaid sec-ond-named member into lowered position against the action ofsaid urging means so as to discharge balls held thereby in said runwaysto a point below said playing surface.

5. In a game apparatus, the combination of: a cabinet; a plurality ofinclined ball runways in said cabinet; a barrier movably mounted in saidcabinet and normally disposed in the path of balls traveling along saidrunways, and means including a device actuated by the conjoint action ofa plurality of balls held by said barrier, one in each of said runways,for moving said barrier out of engagement with the said balls heldthereby so as to release the said balls simultaneously and thus permitthem t-o travel by gravity past said barrier along said runways.

6. In a game apparatus, the combination of: a cabinet including a memberproviding a ballplaying surface; a member movably mounted in saidcabinet and including a barrier portion normally disposed in the path ofballs traveling over said playing surface; said member including aball-propelling portion movable into engagement with the said balls uponsaid playing surface by the said barrier portion of said member; andmeans including a device actuated by the conjoint action of a pluralityof balls held or stopped upon the said playing surface by the saidbarrier portion of said member for moving the said member in such amanner as to move the said barrier portion thereof out of engagementwith the said balls held thereby, while at the same time moving the saidball-propelling portion of the said member int-o engagement with thesaid balls thus released from engagement with the said barrier portionof said member, and thus propel the same over said playing surface.

OSCAR K. FISCHER.

